Healthy Pan Fried Chicken with Cream Gravy
This Healthy Pan Fried Chicken with Cream Gravy recipe offers a delicious yet mindful approach to a classic comfort dish. The recipe emphasizes heart-smart choices like using boneless, skinless chicken breasts, low-fat buttermilk, and heart-healthy oils. It also highlights the importance of reducing sodium by using unsalted butter and spices for flavor. The inclusion of wellness tips, such as managing fat intake and incorporating vegetables, aligns perfectly with health insurance wellness programs. Enjoy a flavorful meal that supports your health goals.
Ingredients:
– 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
– 1 cup all-purpose flour
– 1 tsp paprika
– 1/2 tsp garlic powder
– 1/2 tsp onion powder
– Salt and pepper to taste
– 1/2 cup buttermilk (lower fat options for heart health)
– 1/4 cup vegetable oil (for frying, choose heart-healthy oils)
– 2 tbsp unsalted butter
– 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (for gravy)
– 1 1/2 cups milk (consider low-fat or dairy-free options)
– Salt and pepper to taste (for gravy)
Instructions:
1. Prepare the Chicken:
Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness to ensure even cooking. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Choosing boneless, skinless chicken is a heart-smart option that can help reduce saturated fat intake, aligning with many health insurance wellness programs.
2. Prepare the Coating:
In a shallow dish, combine 1 cup of all-purpose flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Using herbs and spices in your cooking can enhance flavor without adding extra sodium, supporting blood pressure management—a key concern for those monitoring their health for insurance purposes.
3. Coat the Chicken:
Dip each chicken breast in buttermilk (a low-fat version can help keep cholesterol in check), then dredge it in the flour mixture, ensuring it’s well coated.
4. Fry the Chicken:
Heat a heart-healthy vegetable oil, like olive or avocado oil, in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry the chicken breasts for about 5-7 minutes on each side, or until they are golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set it aside on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil—an important step for managing fat intake, which is often recommended by health insurance wellness programs.
5. Make the Gravy:
In the same skillet, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Stir in 2 tablespoons of flour and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Using unsalted butter can help reduce sodium intake, which is beneficial for those tracking their diet under a health insurance wellness plan.
6. Finish the Gravy:
Gradually whisk in the milk, continuing to stir until the gravy thickens, about
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